At least four of 164 passengers survive U.S. jet crash in Colombia

FBI, U.S. aviation experts rush to site

December 22, 1995
Web posted at: 5:50 a.m. EST (1050 GMT)

BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- Three of the seven people who
initially survived the crash of an American Airlines into a
mountain near Cali, Colombia, have since died, according to a
U.S. Embassy task force.

American Airlines flight 965 was carrying 164 people en
route to Cali from Miami when it crashed into the 12,000-foot
Mount San Jose in clear weather Wednesday, and erupted in
flames. It was the world's worst airline disaster this year.

The Embassy task force based in the Colombian capital would
only confirm seven survivors, three of whom later died from the injuries they sustained in the crash.

The final number of survivors, however, remained uncertain as
conflicting reports emerged from the scene. Early Friday morning, The Associated
Press said six people had survived the crash; Reuters
reported late Thursday five were still alive.

A family of four initially survived the crash, but
only the father Gonzalo Dusan and daughter Michelle Dusan
remained alive. The mother, Nancy Delgado, and son, Gonzalo
Dusan, succumbed to their injuries.

The task force confirmed that 21-year-old Mercedes Ramirez survived the crash, as did Mauricio Reyes. The two Dusans, Ramirez and Reyes are expected to recover from their injuries.

Human remains and bits of machinery covered the one-mile area
where the plane went down Wednesday night in Buga, 40 miles
and four minutes from Cali, its destination.

The Boeing 757 lost radio contact at about 9:45 p.m. EST
Wednesday, barely five minutes before its scheduled arrival
in Cali. The first reports by the airline and Colombian
officials said there were no survivors.

But rescuers who braved darkness, uneven terrain and the
threat of leftist guerrillas to search the site
raised hopes when they brought back survivors from the
wreckage.

But with sunset, hopes were dimming, and a makeshift morgue
had been set up in a school in the town of Buga, about 40
miles from Cali.

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and
the National Transportation Safety Board flew down from
Washington Thursday to help at the crash site. Sources told
CNN the FBI sent a "disaster team" to Colombia, in part to
help identify the bodies.

Attorney General Janet Reno told reporters the agents were
being sent to "cooperate and do everything possible to
assist."

So far, Reno said, there was no indication that the crash was
the result of sabotage.

American Airlines chairman Robert Crandall said the cause of
the crash was unknown. He said there were no reports of bad
weather and that the flight crew were veterans who knew the
terrain. (289K AIFF sound or 289K WAV sound)

"We know very little," Crandall said. "All of us are terribly
sorry that this tragic event occurred."

Crandall said the area of the crash had been designated a
"red zone" because of guerrilla activity in the area, but he
added the airline had not received any warnings that there
might be any danger to civil aviation because of guerrilla
activity.

The airlines said the aircraft, fitted with Rolls-Royce
engines, was delivered in August 1991. It had an extensive
maintenance check in January, and a less complete one last
month.

The plane's 156 passengers included four infants, according
to the airlines. It was not immediately clear how many
Americans were aboard.

The crew included Capt. Nicholas Tafuri, 57, of Marco Island,
Florida, and First Officer Don Williams, 39, of New Smyrna
Beach, Florida.

A full passenger list will be released only after all the
relatives are notified, the airlines said. It did not say how
long that would take.

Most of the passengers were reportedly Colombians traveling
to see their families for the holidays in Cali, home to 2
million people.

In Miami, the FBI said an unsigned letter was faxed Monday to
The Miami Herald and The New York Times warning of bomb
attacks against flights from Venezuela and Colombia.

FBI spokesman Paul Miller said there was no reason to believe
the letter was linked to Wednesday's crash, which originated
in Miami. Still, the National Transportation Safety Board
sent an investigative team that included an expert on
explosions and fires.

Boeing headquarters in Seattle said the company had sent a
team of engineers to help investigate the crash. Spokesperson
Liz Verdier said it was the first crash involving a
twin-engine 757, which entered commercial service in 1983.

The Boeing 757 was to arrive in Cali at 9:45 p.m., and lost
radio contact five minutes before its scheduled arrival. It
was only 37 miles from the city. It apparently strayed from
its flight path, going down in an area of heavy leftist
guerrilla activity in Colombia.

Director of Colombian civil aviation, Alvaro Cala told local
RCN radio that the plane was 13 miles east of its flight
plan. He said the plane would have landed in Cali in four
minutes had it not crashed.

The crash of the Boeing 757 was the most deadly involving a
U.S. carrier since the December 21, 1988, bombing of a Pan
Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland, that killed 270 people.

People wishing to receive information about passengers may
contact American Airlines, toll free, at 800-245-0999 in the
United States. In South America for English speakers the
number is 980 11 00 10; for Spanish speakers the number is
980 11 00 11.